ROTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING LIQUID COOLING
First Claim
1. A liquid-cooled rotor assembly for a rotary electric machine, comprising:
- a rotatively-supportable shaft defining a central axis about which said rotor assembly is rotatable, said shaft provided with a fluid passageway receivable of a liquid coolant;
a substantially cylindrical rotor core disposed about said central axis and rotatable in unison with said shaft, said rotor core having axially opposite ends, said rotor core provided with a plurality of passages, each said rotor core passage terminating at a void in a said rotor core axial end; and
a plurality of permanent magnets distributed about said central axis, each magnet of said plurality of magnets disposed in a said rotor core passage, a gap defined between said each magnet and its respective said rotor core passage, said shaft fluid passageway in fluid communication with said rotor core end voids through said gaps, whereby said rotor core and said plurality of magnets are convectively cooled by liquid coolant receivable by said shaft fluid passageway and delivered to a said rotor core end through said rotor core passages.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid-cooled rotor assembly for a rotary electric machine, including a shaft provided with a fluid passageway receivable of a liquid coolant, and a substantially cylindrical rotor core rotatable in unison with the shaft. The rotor core is provided with a plurality of passages each terminating at a void in a rotor core axial end. Permanent magnets are disposed in rotor core passages, a gap is defined between each magnet and its respective rotor core passage. The shaft fluid passageway is in fluid communication with the rotor core end voids through the gaps, whereby the rotor core and the magnets are convectively cooled by liquid coolant receivable by the shaft fluid passageway and delivered to a rotor core end through the rotor core passages. Also, a method for liquid cooling a rotor assembly.
25 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A liquid-cooled rotor assembly for a rotary electric machine, comprising:
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a rotatively-supportable shaft defining a central axis about which said rotor assembly is rotatable, said shaft provided with a fluid passageway receivable of a liquid coolant; a substantially cylindrical rotor core disposed about said central axis and rotatable in unison with said shaft, said rotor core having axially opposite ends, said rotor core provided with a plurality of passages, each said rotor core passage terminating at a void in a said rotor core axial end; and a plurality of permanent magnets distributed about said central axis, each magnet of said plurality of magnets disposed in a said rotor core passage, a gap defined between said each magnet and its respective said rotor core passage, said shaft fluid passageway in fluid communication with said rotor core end voids through said gaps, whereby said rotor core and said plurality of magnets are convectively cooled by liquid coolant receivable by said shaft fluid passageway and delivered to a said rotor core end through said rotor core passages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for liquid cooling a rotor assembly in a rotary electric machine, comprising:
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receiving liquid coolant into a fluid passageway located in a shaft of the rotor assembly; rotating a substantially cylindrical rotor core of the rotor assembly and the shaft in unison about an axis; urging liquid coolant radially outwardly of the shaft and into an internal passage extending through the rotor core; directing liquid coolant received into the rotor core passage, through a gap defined by a permanent magnet disposed in the rotor core passage and an internal wall of the rotor core passage surrounding the magnet, and out of the rotor core; and convectively cooling the rotor core and the permanent magnet with liquid coolant directed through the gap. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification